Chapter 41: Begin Self-Reflection

The three of them turned completely scorched black.

Yuan Yao, hiding in the bushes, couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.

After crawling out of the bushes, she raised her hand and gracefully pulled out a dry twig stuck between her hairs.

At that moment, Cui He and the other two, whose bodies were numb from the invasion of thunder element, suddenly noticed a strange sound coming from their surroundings.

They immediately endured the intense pain, painfully lifted their heads, and saw a white-clad girl.

Upon seeing the girl's appearance, their breath caught for an instant.

"It's you sneaking around behind the scenes!" Cui He snapped to attention, glaring fiercely at Yuan Yao. Though his body was still numb from the lightning, he gritted his teeth, summoned all his strength, and wrenched his waist sword free, ready to strike hard and break the formation's binding.

"That's right, it's me." Yuan Yao gave a hehe laugh, then quickly formed seals with both hands; in an instant, a formation sigil surged onto her palm, which she immediately blasted toward their position.

"Gravity Array, activate!"

Before the words faded, a booming "Boom" sounded, and the feet of Cui He and the other two suddenly sank as the ground began to crack.

Cui He and the other two showed pained expressions, feeling as if their bodies weighed a thousand jin, unable to struggle free.

Constant gravitational force washed down upon their heads, twisting their facial features.

"Who... who exactly are you?!" Zhang Zhengchu exclaimed in terror.

As he spoke, unable to control his lips, his speech came out a bit airy.

Yuan Yao did not answer; instead, with hands behind her back, she pretended to be mysterious and spoke their names: "Zhang Zhengchu, Gongshan Yongyuan, Cui He."

Upon hearing that, the expressions of Cui He and the other two shifted.

Yuan Yao put on the air of an expert, slightly raised her hand, and said, "You don't need to know who I am. My appearance this time is merely to let you know 'awakening.' Come, now reflect on the mistakes you've made since birth; if you reflect thoroughly, I will let you go."

Hearing this, Cui He and the other two's faces showed a hint of strangeness.

She had deliberately set up the formation to deal with them, merely to make them... self-reflect?

Is there something wrong with her brain?

"Come, you speak first." Yuan Yao raised her hand and pointed at the plump Gongshan Yongyuan.

Gongshan Yongyuan stared, incredulous, and said, "Me?"

"Just you."

"I haven't done anything wrong..."

"Liar!" Yuan Yao's face instantly darkened; she conjured a five-colored staff about five meters long and swung it down hard at Gongshan Yongyuan.

"Take this staff strike!"

Gongshan Yongyuan stared dumbfounded; he instinctively tried to dodge, but at that moment he felt the gravity within the formation intensify, crushing him straight to the ground.

"No—" Gongshan Yongyuan widened his eyes in terror.

Thud!

The colorful staff slammed into his back, making him spit out a mouthful of blood.

"Ahhh..."

Gongshan Yongyuan let out a shrill wail.

Watching this, Zhang Zhengchu and Cui He felt their hearts leap.

Yuan Yao's staff instantly shrank; she raised her eyebrows and threatened, "You had better truly reflect, or else I don't know what I might do."

"I... I will speak..." Gongshan Yongyuan said, spitting blood as he tremblingly raised his hand.

"Speak."

Gongshan Yongyuan's confession came: "At seven I peeked at the neighbor's aunt bathing. At eight I went out to play with companions and encountered a spirit beast; I was scared, abandoned him and fled, and he couldn't escape the beast's jaws. At ten, upon joining the Chongxu Sect, I stole the stipend of a menial disciple, leaving him unable to become an outer sect disciple to this day. At twelve, while out training, a senior brother seized my elixir; later I schemed against him, causing his death to a spirit beast."

He spoke for a full quarter hour, and the more he spoke, the more energized he became.

It didn't feel like repentance; instead, he felt proud of his deeds.

Yuan Yao: "..."

After he finished, he seemed to realize that recounting his mistakes was somewhat improper; he lay on the ground, cautiously lifted his gaze to Yuan Yao, slightly pulled the corners of his mouth, and gave a few ingratiating smiles.

"Begin reflecting." Yuan Yao said, while also secretly watching the other two for any abnormalities.

Obviously, the two took no action, for they were entranced by his story.

Upon hearing that, Gongshan Yongyuan instantly put on a show of tears and snot, sniffled, and said, "It's all my fault; if it weren't for me, they wouldn't have died, nor would they have suffered so terribly! I am wrong! But I know I'm wrong!"

He wailed exaggeratedly.

Yuan Yao's mouth twitched slightly; he was acting as if he didn't know heaven from earth.

Even Zhang Zhengchu and Cui He thought it was a bit over the top.

Yuan Yao said, "Your attitude is no good; try again."

Having said that, she stepped closer and then laid another formation around the existing one.

Seeing this, Cui He and Xiang Zhengchu's faces changed dramatically, and they asked, "What are you planning to do?"

Yuan Yao slightly lifted her chin and said, "I intend to wear you down. If you don't reflect thoroughly, I'll blow you all up."

Hearing this, Cui He and the other two exchanged glances, then swiftly drew their weapons, preparing to forcefully break through the gravity formation.

Their cultivation was at the mid-Foundation Establishment Realm, and they refused to believe they couldn't break this little girl's formation.

But as soon as they moved—

Rumble—

Lightning flashed, and they were instantly struck by thunder!

Yuan Yao watched their uncontrollable trembling, sighed softly, and said, "I told you not to move, but you insisted—now you've triggered the thunder-element formation."

Upon hearing that, Zhang Zhengchu's anger flared instantly; he widened his eyes, glared hatefully at Yuan Yao, gritted his teeth, and roared, "Good, you little slut! Today I will surely kill you!".

Before his words faded, he brandished his razor-sharp sword with all his might and fiercely slashed toward Yuan Yao's position.

Boom!

That extremely sharp sword qi directly struck a transparent formation barrier, and at that moment, an unexpected change occurred—

The Ice Arrow Formation was triggered by this sword!

Countless bone-chilling icy arrows rained down like a violent storm, densely shooting downward.

Zhang Zhengchu and his two companions all widened their eyes in terror, their faces full of disbelief.

Instinctively, they raised their weapons to try to block the incoming sky-filling ice arrows!

"Oh dear!"

A wail came from Gong Shan Yongyuan's mouth as an ice arrow struck him squarely in the shoulder.

They kept defending, occasionally attacking.

But it was precisely because of their attacks that other formations were triggered!

In an instant, various powerful formation attacks surged forth, sweeping over Zhang Zhengchu and his two companions like a flood.

"Ahhh..." Their screams of agony came one after another.

Yuan Yao watched this scene and nodded in satisfaction.

There were six formations in total.

They should be able to trap them.

She was determined to successfully overcome them and seize three days of lifespan!